Assembly and method of radiant/structural floor system

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a floor system that combines a radiant in-floor heating system using heated air as an energy source and sealed floor units as radiant bodies in which it allows for the heated air to circulate internally throughout the floor to heat the metal joists, to heat the radiant metal sheet, to warm the sub-floor and then to warm the surface and the objects within the living space. The invention can be a combined radiant and structural floor system or a penalized floor system. The assembly of radiant/structural floor system consists of a radiant metal sheet under the structural sub-floor for conducting and distributing the heat uniformly throughout entire heating zone, and the structural metal floor joists with mechanically arranged ducts and inner air circulation pathway, as well as the enclosure board with insulation and the wooden rim board for sealing the floor panel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is used for building industry. The concepts of this present invention may be more generally defined as follows:

[0002] Developing a comfortable, healthy, energy-efficient and cost-effective building platform for building owners or homeowners.

[0003] Creating a unique system to Improve current construction technology to reduce on-site building process time and costs.

[0004] Using metal floor joists to Increase structural floor span to provide larger space and flexibility for easier space planning and custom home functioning.

[0005] Emphasizing safety, maintenance-free and worry-free building environment.

[0006] Promoting recyclable and reusable metal material as a major and multifunctional component for the floor system.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] The present invention provides a floor system that combines a radiant in-floor heating system using heated air as an energy source to circulate inside of sealed floor units and the sealed floor units that act as radiant bodies to radiate heat, which is different from a current radiant in-floor heating system using water circulating through the tubes or electrical resistance in the cables warms the floor under-layment and covering. The present invention also provides a floor system combined a radiant in-floor heating system within a structural floor system. It is not only a cost-effective and maintenance-free radiant in-floor heating system, but also a construction-convenient and environmental-friendly structural floor system. Once the sealed structural floor panel is put in place, the radiant in-floor heating system is been set up. The radiant/structural floor system allows for the heated air to circulate internally throughout the floor to heat the structural joists, to heat the radiant metal sheet, to warm the structural sub-floor and then to warm the surface and the objects within the living space. This assembly of radiant/structural floor system consists of a radiant metal sheet under the structural sub-floor for conducting and distributing the heat uniformly throughout entire heating zone, and the structural metal floor joists with mechanically arranged ducts and inner air circulation pathway, as well as the enclosure board with insulation and the wooden rim board for sealing the floor panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1: Assembly & method of radiant/structural floor system:

[0009] 3D Illustration of the system

[0010]FIG. 2: Diagram of radiant/structural floor system:

[0011] 2D Illustration of the system

[0012]FIG. 3: Utility floor panel:

[0013] Top view and Sections

[0014]FIG. 4: Standard floor panel:

[0015] Top view and Sections

[0016]FIG. 5: End floor panel:

[0017] Top view and section

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] The present invention is a floor system (see FIG. 1) that comprises a self-sustaining and supporting structural floor system as well as a radiant in-floor heating system using heated air to circulate inside of a sealed floor unit system. It is a uniquely combined system. Once the structural floor is put in place, the radiant in-floor heating system is been set up.

[0019] A radiant in-floor heating system is far more efficient, cleaner, more comfortable, quieter and healthier then the one of the forced air furnaces or the baseboard heating. However because of the high cost of the equipment, the delay of the construction and the difficulty of the maintenance and repair, the current radiant in-floor heating systems are prevented from flourishing in the housing market. Instead of the current radiant in-floor heating system such as tubing the hot water or wiring the electrical resistance through the entire floor area, the present invention, Radiant/Structural Floor System, may overcome the disadvantages of the current systems by using heated air to circulate inside floor cavities, by combining structural components with mechanical components to improve cost effectiveness and by panellising the new floor system to increase construction productivity. It is not only a cost-effective and maintenance-free radiant in-floor heating system, but also a construction-convenient and environmental-friendly structural floor system.

[0020] 1. The Concept of the Radiant/Structural Floor System:

[0021] 1. Safety and comfort of indoor environment:

[0022]  Radiant/structural floor system warms living space without worries of re-circulated forced air carrying dust and also without the difficulties associated with hot water tube system inside of the floor.

[0023] 2. Reduction of construction process time and cost: Radiant/structural floor system will increase productivities for building construction, by standardizing manageable size panels for ease of delivering and installation.

[0024]  Radiant/structural floor system will save construction time and cost by speeding up the floor assembly process and requiring less labour works on site.

[0025] 3. Improvement of current construction technology:

[0026]  Radiant/structural floor system solves the complication of floor joist construction process on site and provide quick and safe floor surface for the construction process.

[0027] 4. Free of maintenance:

[0028]  Radiant/structural floor system provides a clearer and simple concept without the complications and difficulties as the current radiant in-floor heating systems have.

[0029] 5. Efficiency of energy saving:

[0030]  Radiant/structural floor system uses heated air circulating constantly within a sealed and self-sustaining system resulting in 1) reduced heating emission to the outdoor environment and 2) reduced heating costs for the building owner.

[0031] 6. Respect to the concerns of the big environment:

[0032]  Radiant/structural floor system selects metal, a 100% recyclable and reusable material, as a major and multi-functional component for the radiant/structural floor system.

[0033] 2. A Method of a Radiant In-Floor Heating System (FIG. 2):

[0034] 1) The constant heated air from furnace flows into one end of the sealed structural floor system, then within the cavity of said sealed structural floor system passes through an arranged airflow pathway internally between the joist spaces to an air return duct and back to the furnace for reheating.

[0035] 2) The arrangement of the airflow movement is always circulated within the inside of the sealed structural floor system.

[0036] 3) During the circulation movement the constant heated air warms the structural metal floor joists, the radiant metal sheet, the structural sub-floor and then to warm the surface and the objects within the living space.

[0037] 4) The structural metal floor joist not only functions as a major structural component but also as a component of a radiant in-floor heating system to reserve and conduct the heat within the floor system.

[0038] 5) The radiant metal sheet is a mechanical component for conducting and distributing the heat uniformly throughout entire heating zone.

[0039] 6) The radiant in-floor heating system is been set up simultaneously when the sealed structural floor system has put in place.

[0040]3. An Assembly of a Radiant In-Floor System Within a Sealed Structural Floor System (FIG. 3, FIG. 4 & FIG. 5):

[0041] 1) Radiant in-floor heating system within the utility floor panel assembly: air supply connections to the ducts from the furnace and air return connections to the ducts to furnace are placed accordingly at bottom of the floor panel, which provides flexibility to allow for any location of the furnace; air supply ducts are arranged from the air supply connections to the panel duct joints located on the side interface of floor panels; air circulation openings set alternately at each end of the structural metal floor joists according to the air flow path.

[0042] 2) Radiant in-floor heating system within the standard floor panel assembly: air supply duct is arranged from the panel duct joint to the panel duct joint; air circulation openings are arranged alternately at each end of the structural metal floor joists according to the air flow path.

[0043] 3) Radiant in-floor heating system within the end floor panel assembly: air supply duct is arranged from the panel duct joint to the air supply head; air circulation openings arranged alternately at each end of the structural metal floor joists according to the air flow path.

[0044] 4) Each floor panel combines a radiant metal sheet laid under the structural sub-floor.

[0045]4. A Method of a Sealed Structural Floor System:

[0046] 1) The sealed structural floor system is a self-sustaining and supporting structural component.

[0047] 2) The sealed structural floor system is combined a radiant in-floor heating system within the structural floor joist system.

[0048] 3) The structural metal floor joist is a major structural component for forming the building floor, and also functions as a component of a radiant in-floor heating system for heat reservation and heat conducting.

[0049] 4) The structural sub-floor and the enclosure board as the structural bracing system form the sealed structural floor system in order to reduce the complication of the metal floor joist construction process on site.

[0050] 5) The arrangement of a sealed structural floor system as a panel system is flexible for any layout of the building design.

[0051] 6) The end surfaces of a sealed structural floor system are thermally insulated when exposed to the exterior side.

[0052] 7) Once the sealed structural floor system is put in place, the radiant in-floor heating system is been set up.

[0053]5. An Assembly of a Sealed Structural Floor Panel System (FIG. 3, FIG. 4 & FIG. 5):

[0054] 1) Three types of the sealed structural floor panel: Utility floor panel, Standard floor panel and End floor panel;

[0055] 2) Section from top to bottom:

[0056] Structural sub-floor with a radiant metal sheet under is also the top floor joist bracing plate;

[0057] Structural metal joists with only air circulation openings arranged alternately at each end are spaced according to the requirements of structural and mechanical.

[0058] Enclosure board with insulation coating on top is also the bottom floor joist bracing plate.

[0059] 3) Section from exterior to interior:

[0060] Wooden rim board with the edge insulation along the exterior side caps and insulates the sealed structural floor panel, and also provides the nailing surface to allow for any attachment of the building component.

[0061] 4) Section from interior:

[0062] Wooden rim board without the edge insulation along the interior side caps the sealed structural floor panel and defines the in-floor heating zones. 

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
 1. A floor system is constructed as a sealed floor unit system in order to allow for heated air circulation and heat convection within the cavities of the floor system.
 2. A floor system as defined in claim 1, in which a sealed floor unit system comprises a structural floor system and a radiant in-floor heating system using heated air to circulate inside cavities of the floor system.
 3. A floor system as defined in claim 1, in which the floor joists within the floor system are arranged in a way fulfilled with the mechanical requirements to form an internal airflow pathway for radiant in-floor heating process.
 4. A floor system as defined in claim 1, in which the sub-floor is combined with a radiant metal sheet at bottom for conducting and distributing the heat uniformly throughout the entire heating zone.
 5. A floor system as defined in claim 1, in which the sub-floor, the enclosure board and the wooden rim board are used not only as the structural bracing system but also as the top, bottom and side cover plates to seal the floor system.
 6. A process for warming the floor surface and the objects within the living space comprises, using a heated air circulating inside floor cavities as defined in claim 1, and as a means of a radiant in-floor heating system to heat the floor joists and a radiant metal sheet with in the floor system.
 7. A floor system as defined in claim 2, in which the structural floor system is combining a radiant in-floor heating system within its structural floor joist system.
 8. A floor system as defined in claim 2, in which the sealed floor unit system can be formed as a sealed floor panel system in order to provide for both the ease of installation and the increase of productivity for the building construction.
 9. A floor system as defined in claim 3, in which the floor joists as the structural floor joists within floor system are arranged in a way fulfilled not only the structural requirements to form a building floor but also the mechanical requirements to form an internal airflow pathway for radiant in-floor heating process.
 10. A floor system as defined in claim 5, in which the enclosure board is combined with a layer of insulation on top to prevent heat loss.
 11. A floor system as defined in claim 5, in which the wooden rim board provides a nailing surface for any attachment of the building component.
 12. A process as defined in claim 6, in which the heated air is generated from the furnace and constantly flows into and through the inside floor system only and returns back to the furnace for reheating.
 13. A process as defined in claim 6, in which the radiant in-floor heating system is forming an internal heated air circulation and convection system within the sealed floor system wherein a constant heated air from furnace is led by an arranged internal ducting system, flows into one end of said sealed floor system then passes through the cavities between the floor joists and follows along an air circulation pathway arranged by said floor joists with the air circulation openings set alternately at the each end of said floor joists to an air-return duct and returns back to the furnace for reheating.
 14. A process as defined in claim 6, in which the floor joist formed by a metal floor joist functions as a mechanical component to conduct and to reserve the heat for radiant in-floor heating process.
 15. A process as defined in claim 6, in which a radiant metal sheet is laid under side of sub-floor as a component of the radiant in-floor heating system to conduct and radiate the heat uniformly throughout entire heating zone.
 16. A floor system as defined in claim 7, in which the floor joist within the floor system is formed as a metal floor joist.
 17. A floor system as defined in claim 8, in which the sealed floor panel system with radiant in-floor heating system inside can form three types of the sealed panels: utility floor panel, standard floor panel and end floor panel, to provide the most flexibility for any layout of the building design.
 18. A floor system as defined in claim 11, in which the wooden rim board is combined with edge insulation on its inside surface to prevent heat loss.
 19. A radiant in-floor heating system within a sealed floor system as defined in claim 13 comprises, air supply connections and ducts, air supply heads, air circulation openings and air return connections.
 20. A floor system as defined in claim 16, in which the metal floor joists are used as the mechanical components to conduct and to reserve the heat for radiant in-floor heating process.
 21. A floor system as defined in claim 17, in which the utility floor panel provides a link of the connections between the furnace and the radiant in-floor heating system within a sealed floor panel system.
 22. A radiant in-floor heating system within a sealed floor system as defined in claim 19, in which the air supply connections to the ducts from the furnace and air return connections from the ducts to furnace are placed accordingly at bottom of the floor panel, which provides flexibility to allow for any location of the furnace.
 23. A radiant in-floor heating system within said sealed floor system as defined in claim 19, in which the air circulation openings are arranged and set alternately at each end of the floor joists according to the airflow pathway. 